Most freshmen can be picked on. This first-year Gamecock hasn’t been burned all season

The usual risk with a freshman defensive back in college football is a simple one: For any good plays, there’s usually a big one allowed to match.

But that’s not the case for South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn. Try to burn him. Teams have. But according to numbers from CFB Film Room, he’s quietly done everything asked.

The first thing that stands out, he’s not given up a gain of 20 or more yards, all season. That’s despite working in the slot against some shifty receivers, and often having to kick outside against the taller ones.

Based on those numbers, opponents connected on only 43.8 percent of the passes that went his way. He’s contested more than one third.

He came to Columbia as a four-star prospect, one of the top players in the 2018 class. He’s delivered on more than that.

A Day 1 starter, the son of NFL Pro Bowler Joe Horn has been one of USC’s most consistent and reliable defenders. For the season he has 38 tackles and eight pass breakups.

South Carolina faces Chattanooga at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

This story was originally published November 15, 2018 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Most freshmen can be picked on. This first-year Gamecock hasn’t been burned all season."